Two high school students were bumped from behind by a speeding cargo truck, and were killed at around 4 a.m. Sunday at the national highway in Maayong Tubig, Dauin town, Negros Oriental.

Police identified the fatalities as Mark Geronilla of Purok 1, Maayong Tubig, Dauin, and James Allen Capuyan, both 15.Another companion, Geran Bantayanon, sustained serious injuries and is now being treated in a local hospital.

Investigation showed that Geronilla, Capuyan and Bantayanon were with fellow students Jhepot Pajaron and Joshua Tubil while jogging at the national highway in preparation for their basketball tournament,when they were bumped from behind by the truck registered to L.C. Big Mak Burger Inc.

The driver, Romel Empinado, 40, married, and a resident of San Carlos City in NegrosOccidental, reportedly fled after the accident and left behind his two passengers, Leonardo Alferez and son Raymart, who turned themselves in to the police.

Bantayanon said the truck might have avoided another vehicle loaded with sugarcane coming from the opposite direction, by swerving to the side of the road, where it hit the joggers.

Pajaron and Tubil were not hit by the truck as they had stopped some distance from the road to answer the call of nature. Bantayanon said he was lucky to have survived the truck that ran over the bodies of his two other friends.

Reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and physical injury charges were filed yesterday against Empinado, the police added.*JG

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